Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, refused to hear an application filed by a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachiku, against the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by former Senate President, David Mark.
Kachikwu, the ADC presidential candidate in the 2023 election, had in the suit asked the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the publication of Mark and Rauf Aregbesola’s names as the party’s national chairman and secretary pending the determination of the suit.
INEC had recently recognised Mark and Aregbesola as ADC’s national chairman and national secretary.
Kachikwu and others had, on July 7, filed the originating summons to challenge the purported appointment and declaration of the two men as national chairman and secretary of the party.
Others in the suit are Adikwu Elias, Etimbuk Umoh, Muhammed Khala, Alaku, and Godwin William.
INEC, ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola were the respondents.
The judge, however, declined to hear the motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025, filed by Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), on Kachikwu’s behalf.
He said: “This court is not inclined to nullify anything at this stage, whether done before or now. This is a political case.
“I am not taking any interlocutory matter.”
Instead, Justice Omotosho held that all the processes filed by the parties, including the preliminary objections of the defence, would be taken together with the substantive suit.
All efforts by Akinlaja to have his application heard were rebuffed by the judge.
He adjourned the matter till October 23 for hearing.
